Battle of Midway appreciation thread

you realize that book is historical fiction, right?

Iirc, the pilot got a posthumous MoH

Not him and I don't know much about the book, so could you tell how is it fiction?

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"speculative fiction" is a better term. but it is still fiction.

He's trolling. It's one of the best regarded historical books about the Battle of Midway.

youtube.com/watch?v=23vL8AvqbDc
Here's the author delivering a talk at the National War Museum international conference.

youtube.com/watch?v=Y9rkKtK1b44
And here's a slightly longer presentation at the US naval war college with a Q&A afterwards.

Shattered Sword is not historical fiction, nor is it speculative fiction. By that logic all books on history are fiction.
Pictured is my copy of the book

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>Long story short, nearly everything Americans think they know about Midway is wrong. I lierally can't even begin to summarise it before that.
Wow, how informative

At least give me some teasers

(you)

For example they definitely prove that old myth of "dive bombers hit IJN carriers just minutes before japanese launched their own massed strike, hitting planes parked on deck" is completely false .

Generally speaking the book is great because it focuses on what was happening on IJN side, and what motivated them to make certain decision, why their doctrine was shaped the way it was, why certain actions were taken or avoided - this is the most interesting part IMO.

How is it false?

It is not, as it has already been said the book is a work of fiction.

IJN flight decks were empty aside from CAP fighters. The hangar decks on the other hand, were full of strike aircraft being rearmed and refueled.
(you)

because dreadnaughts, carriers and other capital ships are so incredibly precious and valuable they are never, ever used in combat unless by complete accident.

basically, they are worthless.

(you)

>completely false
>hurr durr they were re-arming and refueling one deck down I'm so much smarter

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Because IJN carriers operated the exact same way as USN carriers, right? Oh wait, no they didn't.

>completely missing the the
>implications

This is a huge difference, my brainlet friend. Deck full of planes (as legend claims) means that if burgers appeared few minutes later, jap strike would be already underway, and since japanese at that moment knew locations of US carriers, this would completely change the outcome of the battle.

The fact that they were refueling and rearming below decks literally means that they would be unable to launch any time soon. Preparing a deckload of strike aircraft for coordinated launch takes shitload of time, especially in IJN with their closed hangar decks.

Looking at Hiryu, they needed somewhere about 40-50minutes before they could launch. When it comes to naval warfare this is fucking centuries.

It's worth noting that due to the design of IJN carriers they could not refuel and rearm under the top deck due to insufficient ventilation. All arming and fueling of strike aircraft was done on deck and each aircraft was brought up one at a time from each elevator. When the US dive bombers hit them with only a couple cap fighters on deck it means the IJN was no where close to being able to launch a strike on the US carriers.

I know i'm agreeing with you for the most part, but the Japanese couldn't arm/fuel those fighters unless they were on deck, although all those materials were present below decks so when they got hit it still wasn't good.